Telephone-call-charge system and apparatus.



C. L. GOODRUM. TELEPHONE CALL CHARGE SYSTEM AND APPARATUS- APPLICATION man MAY 10. 191.5.

1,251,521 9. Patented Dec. 25, 1917.

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UNITED srarns PATENT ornicn.

CHARLES L. GOODRUM, 0F NEXV YORK, N. 1., ASSIGNOB, BY MES NE ASSIGNMENTS, TO

WESTERN ELECTRIC COMPANY, INCQRPORATED, A CGBPOEATION OF NEW YORK.

TELEPHONE-CALL-CI-IARGE SYSTEM AND APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.. Patented Dec, 25, 1917,

Application filed May 10, 1915. Serial No. 27,051.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES L. GooDnUM, a'citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Telephone- Call- Char e Systems and Apparatus, of which the rollowing is a full, clear, concise, and exact description.

This invention relates to telephone call charge systems, and is particularly useful in connection with automatic telephone systems in which calls are charged by apparatus at a. subscribers station which is under the joint control of the calling and called subscribers. The invention is equally applicable to systems in which a message register or counter is used at a subscribers station to record the number of calls initiating thereat, and to systems in which coin-collecting apparatus at the subscribers station serves to collect the proper charge for each call originating from that station; and throughout this specification and the annexed claims the expression telephone call charge apparatus and similar expressions are intended to refer to both such systems.

In connection with automatic telephone systems, it has been proposed to effect the charging of a call initiating at a subscribers station by a reversal of current in the telephone line extending from the station to the exchange, brought about through apparatus at the exchange operated in response to the raising of the receiver-hook at the station of the called party when the latter answers. My invention is particularly applicable to a system of this kind, although it is not to be understood'as limited thereto. In systems of this general kind, the call charge apparatus is so arranged that in case the called party fails to answer, the calling party by restoring the receiver tothe receiver-hook prevents charging of the call, either by restoring the call register to normal without registering the call or by causing the coin collector to refund the coin which has been deposited. With such an arrangement there is a possibility that the calling subscriber will evade the charge for the call by momentarily depressing his receiverhook after he has operated his signal trans-. mitter and before the called subscriber has answered; an action which may restore the call charge apparatus to normal without iiiterrupting the line circuit for a long enough interval to cause the central exchange apparatus to Fpull down the talking connection which has been set up between the telephone instruments of the calling and called su'bcribers.

The general object of the invention is to provide a system in which beating of the call charge apparatus in the manner above mentioned will be impossible.

In order that the invention may be fully understood, it is herein shown and described as embodied in several kinds of call charge apparatus, with the understanding, however,

that it may be embodied in many other forms of apparatus without departing from the true spirit of the invention as defined in the annexed claims.

In the drawing, Figure 1 shows diagrammatically the invention embodied in call charge apparatus of the message register type; Fig. 2 shows diagrammatically the invention embodied in call charge apparatus of the coin collector type; and Fig. 3 shows diagrammatically the invention embodied in call charge apparatus of the coin collector type differing in certain respects from the apparatus shown in Fig. 2. V

In all of the figures of the drawing, conventional symbols are used to indicate the transmitter 5, receiver 6, receiver switchhook 7 ringer or bell 8, windings 9 and 10 of a repeating coil, concensers 11, and a signal transmitter 12 which contains contacts 13, by the opening of which the necessary signaling impulses are transmitted to the central exchange apparatus.

It is to be understood that the arrange ments of the apparatus illustrated in all of the figures of the drawing are intended for use in connection with an automatic telephone system in which the direction of current in the lines 14 and 15 extending to the exchange is reversed when the called subscribe-r answers by removing his receiver from its switch-hook.

In Fig. 1, the counter upon which the calls are registered is indicated at 18 as being actuated by a ratchet 19 and pawl 20 operated by an armature 21 which is biased to the position shown by a spring 22 and is capable of being actuated by a polarized electromagnet 23. Normally the armature 21' rests in the position shown against the stop 25; and the polarization of the magnet 23 is so arranged that said armature is not attracted by the magnet 23 by the current which flows in the line wires 14 and 15 until said current takes the direction given to it by the lifting of the called subscribers switchho-ok, as hereinbefore mentioned. The message re ister, of which the counter 18 forms a part, is provided with a button 28 which when depressed in locked in its depressed position by a latch 29 and moves acontact spring 30 out of engagement with the contact spring 31 and into engagement with the contact spring 32. The latch 29 is normally held in the position shown by a spring 34, and is moved out of holding position by a combined armature and contact 35 arranged for actuation by an electromagnet 36. The magnet 36 and the armature 35, for reasons hereinafter explained, are of the slow-release type, that is, the armature is attracted quickly but released slowly upon energization and deenergization of the magnet 36. The armature and contact 35 cooperate with a fixed contact 37.

The arrangement of circuits connecting the apparatus illustrated in Fig. 1 will best be understood from the following description of the manner in which the system of Fig. 1 operates: The apparatus is shown in its normal position, that is, as it exists be fore a call is initiated. When a. subscriber desires to initiate a call he removes the receiver 6 from its switchho-ok 7, and depresses the button 28. The button 28 is locked in 1 its depressed position by the latch 29, and

the contact spring 30 is moved out of engagement with the spring 31 and into engagement with the spring This opening of the contacts 3031 interrupts the short circuit which normally exists around the contacts 13 of the signal transmitter 12, thereby permitting operation of the latter for the purpose of sending out the signal impulses necessary to set up theconnection with the desired line. During the sending of the signal impulses, the current in the line wires 14 and 15 is in such a direction that the polarized magnet 23 does not move its armature 21; and the counter 18 is therefore not operated. If the called party thereby completing a circuit from the line wire 15 through transmitter 5, switch-hook 7, magnet 36 and contacts 32-30 to line wire 14. The consequent energization of the magnet 36 will attract its armature 35, which in its movement will move the latch 9 out of engagement with the push-button 3 thereby releasing the latter and restoring the calling subscribers charging device to normal. Of course, this replacement of the receiver on the switch-hook will also cause interruption of the line circuit, with the result that the central exchange apparatus will pull down the connection which has been set up between the stations of the calling and called subscribers. The foregoing is the normal mode of operation. If, however, the calling subscriber attempts to avoid registration of the call by momentarily depressing his switch-hook 7 after his signal transmitter has been operated but before the called party has answered, the slowrelease magnet 36 will not only restore the button 28 but will also open the main line circuit at the contacts 35-37 long enough to cause the central exchange apparatus to pull down the connection. It is, therefore, impossible for the calling subscriber to beat the call charge apparatus in this manner.

The arrangement shown in Fig. 2 is very similar to that shown in Fig. 1, the principal diiference being that the message register 01' Fig. -1 is replaced by a coin collector. In Fig. 2, the coin collector is shown diagrammatically as having a coin chute having an entrance portion 40, a collect chute 41 and a refund chute 42. A coin dropped into the coin chute is supported just above the place where the collect and refund chutes 41 and 42 branch 011 from the entrance portion 40, by slides 43 and 44 which are respectively pivotally connected to and controlled by armatures 45 and 46 cooperating respectively with a polarized electromagnet' 123 and a slow-release magnet 136. The armatures 45 and 46 and the slides 43 and 44 connected to them are normally yieldingly held in the position shown by springs 47 and 48. Projecting into the coin Chute and arranged to be engaged by the coin when the latter is supported by the slides 43 and 44 is a contact spring 130, which is normally in contact with the contact spring 131 but is moved out of ngagement therewith and into engagement with the contact spring 132 by the deposited coin. The contact springs 130, 131 and 132 are wired into the circuit in the same manner and serve the same purpose as do the contact springs 30, 31 and 32 in the arrangement of Fig. 1; the magnet 123, like the magnet 23 in the system of Fig. 1, is so polarized that its armature is not attracted by the current which flows in the line wires 14 and 15 until said current takes the direction given to it by thelifting of the called subscribers switch-hook, as hereinbefore mentioned; and the magnet 136 is wired into the circuit in the same manner as is the magnet 36 in the system ofFlg. 1. Themode of operatlon ofthe system of Fig. 2 is obvious. In the normal operation, a deposited'coin opens contacts 130131 and closes contacts 130132, thereby interrupting .the short circuit which normally exists around contacts 13 of the signal transmitter 12, and permitting operati n of the latter. If .the called party answers, the consequent reversal of current in the line wires 11 and 15 causes the polarized magnet 123 to attract-its armature 45,. thereby withdrawing the slide from the mouth of the collect chute 11 and-permittingthe coin to drop into the collection box. This permits the contact spring 130 to resume its normal position. hen a call is completed, the restoration of the calling subscribers receiver to its switch-hook interrupts the line circuit at the switch-hook contacts with the consequent deenergization ofithepolarized magnet 123 and the restoration'of the coin collector to normal. 'If, after a coin has been deposited and the called subscriber has been signaled in the .usual manner, he fails to answer, the calling subscriber, vbytherestoration of his receiver to its switch-hook, will complete a circuit for the magnet 136 as follows: from line 15 through the transmitter, switch-hook contacts, magnet 136, contacts 132 and 130 to the line lat. The consequent energization of the magnet 136 will cause it to attract its armature 46, thereby moving the slide slat out of the mouth of the refund chute 42 and permitting the coin to be refunded. from the contact 130 will allow the latter to move away from the contact spring 132, thereby opening the circuit of the magnet 136 and allowing the slide as to return to its normal position. If, however, the calling subscriber attempts unjustifiably to obtain the refund of his deposited coin by momentarily depressing the switch-hook 7 after he has operated his signal transmitter but before the called party has answered, the slowrelease magnet 36 will not only move the slide 44 and refund the coin, but will also open the main line circuit at the contacts 135 and 137 long enough to cause the central exchange apparatu to pull down the connection which has been set up between the instruments of the calling and called subscriber-s. It is, therefore, impossible for the calling subscriber to avoid payment for a call in this manner.

The system of Fig. 3 is similar to that of Fig. 2, the principal diflerence being the result of the fact that the magnets 123 and 136 of Fig. 2 are replaced by a single polarized magnet 50. In Fig. 3, the coin chute is shown diagrammatically s having an entrance portion 240, a collect chute 241 and a refund chute 2&2. Projecting into the coin chute is a coin supporting and directing member 51 which is pivotally mounted and is moved in either direction by an armature The dropping of the coin away' 52 cotiperating with the polarized magnet 50. 'Projecting into the coin chute and adapted to be engaged and moved by a deposited coin. are a contact spring 230 normally ngaging with the contact spring 231, anda contact spring 51.normallyout of engagement with the contact spring 55 but adapted to be moved into engagement therewith by the deposited coin.- One of the coils 236 .of the polarized magnet 50 is of the slow-release type, similar to the magnets 36 and 136 of the systems of Figs. :1, and 2; and arranged to be opened by the movement of the armature 52inithe latters movement in response to the attraction of the coil 236 are contacts 235 and 237; As diagrammatially shown, a finger.5,7 projecting from the armature v52vcarries a button of insulating material. which engages with the contact spring 235. e V r The arrangement of circuits connecting the apparatus shown in Fig. 3 W111 best be understood from the following description of the manner in which this system operates: A coin'deposited in the-coin-chute opens the contacts 230231, thereby interrupting the' short circuit which normally exists around the contacts 13 of the signal transmitter 12 and permitting operation of the latter. In the arrangement of Fig. 3, the collection of the deposited coin does not take place immediately when the called subscribed answers, but is deferred until the calling subscriber restores his receiver 6 to its switch-hook 7, owing to the fact that the circuit through the coils of the polarized magnet 50 passes through switch-hook contacts closed only when the calling subscribers switch-hook is down. As hereinbefore explained, the current in the line wires 14 and 15.is reversed when the called subscriber answers. The polarization of the magnet 50 is so arranged that if its circuit is completed by the depression of the calling subscribers switch-hook before the called party answers, the current in said magnet 50 will cause the armature 52 to move in a clockwise direction, thereby permitting the coin supporting and directing member 51 to release the deposited coin and direct it into the refund chute 24:2; and if the circuit of said polarized magnet 50 is completed at the switch-hook of the calling subscriber after the called party has answered, the armature 52 will move in a counter-clockwise direction movement of the coin supporting and directing member into the position in which it permits the coin to pass into the collect chute. In the normal operation of the coin collector, therefore, the magnet 50 will when energized always either cause the collection or refunding of the deposited coin; the circuit through said magnet being opened at the contacts 5455 when the coin has been so disposed of. If, however, the calling subscriber attempts to unjustifiably obtain the refunding of his coin by momentarily depressing his switch-hook 7 after he has operated his signal transmitter but before the called party has answered, the consequent energization of the magnet 50 and the actuation of its armature 52 in a clockwise direction will cause the opening of the contacts 235237 which will be maintained open by the slow-release magnet 236 long enough to cause the central exchange apparatus to pull down the connection between the instruments of the calling and called Subscribers.

What is claimed is:

1. In a telephone call charge system for use in connection with an automatic telephone system, a charging device requiring setting by the calling subscriber before a talking connection can be established and operable by the called subscriber in responding, means under the control of the calling subscriber for restoring the chargingapparatus to normal without charging the call if the called party does not answer, and contacts in the line circuit opened and maintained open when said last named means is operated long enough to permit the central station apparatus to interrupt the talking circuit.

2. In a telephone call charge system for use in connection with an automatic telephone system, a charging device requiring setting by the calling subscriber before a talking-connection can be established and operable by the called subscriber in responding, a slow-release electromagnet for restoring the charging device to normal without charging the call if the called party does not answer, contacts operated by the switchhook of the calling subscriber for controlling said magnet, and contacts in the line circuit opened and maintained open by said magnet when the latter is operatcl long enough to permit the central station apparatus to interrupt the talking circuit.

In witness whereof I hereunto subscribe my name this 8th day of May, A. D. 1915.

CHARLES L. GOODRUM.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, 13. 0, 

